Well, I've not first-hand experience, but had a co-worker that was Zimbabwe-American and he told me of overt prejudice he encountered. This was 5/6 years ago, but I doubt things have changed.

Koreans seem to have a notion that them Amarykans are ____, _____, ____ and ____....you know, just as the movies, TV programs portray. In my discussion classes, I've found that my students (20's-30's) think that Af-Am are exactly like those in movies...with all the negative connotation that may render.

I even had one academy director tell me that he wouldn't hire a black teacher, because their English level is not gut enuff.

I've only known one African-Canadian person and she was very qualified as a teacher and she got a great job in Korea, great conditions and great pay. Hmmm, I don't know if this is saying more about being black or being well qualified ???

This is a difficult one to answer.. as most are going to be of a discouraging nature..

Try JW on this forum, as he's African-American..

I've met at least a half dozen or maybe a dozen African-American English teachers here in Korea.. they seem to stick around and do well..

I've known one of which has been here for 5+ years as was a director of a group of teachers.. he works for the Korean gov't regarding English training.. very nice guy.. i just met him a couple times as I was almost hired there..

I met another guy who was Ethiopian-British.. he had a great parttime job.. well, essentially, i mean he had a work visa to work parttime hours and fulltime pay and all the benefits.. he'd been around for while to get that..

I met another woman from the Carribean who had British citizenship who teaches at a university and been here quite a long time.. she seems to like it as she's been here for quite a long time now..

General consensus is Koreans don't like african pigmentation.. but many of the african-americans or british or whatever that i've met seemed to have overcome that quite easily as well.. if they decide they want to be here for whatever reason..

Anyhow, most people are going to probably post negative stuff.. which probably has alot of truth to it as well.. i'm not sure.. but if you are looking for positive words.. those are some that i can give..

It's good see so many positive posts about this issue. I do not teach in Korea but I live here and I do see, in general, a positive rapid progress towards eliminating racial stereotypes.
Hey, one up for Korea on this one!

I too am African American I can tell you I have had little problems.
Stupid comments from Kids do not bother me. I get along very well with the staff.

But I think it takes a thick skin period to work here. If you are too tall, if you nose is too big, black, red, ,.....what ever they will ask you stupid questions or make dumb comments. Many here do not have the expousure to culture that we all have comming from the west.

So it is not ONLY blacks. I too know of other teachers of African dissent.
One recently finished...no two finished thier contracts. One really wanted to stay but her friends had gone home so she decided to go....it was a tough choice for her. It was not like she was thinking about bad Korea had been to her.

ok so it is ok to be black just make sure you have extra time to look for a job. Also it is better if you are here in Korea with all of the docs you need for the e2 visa. I have worked at two places, and have signed a contract at the second.

They will probably be cool with it, and you'll probably get lots of compliments from the Koreans about how you look.
Expect confused looks from the older generation/strangers.
They will probably think you know the language and will go on and on at you in Korean when you first get there, it will be kind of funny.